DORAS Luimní has been working with new Irish citizens in Limerick ahead of the election to encourage voter awareness and registration, and reminding new citizens that there is power in their vote.
Aideen Roche, Doras Luimní, commented, “New Irish citizens now make up a considerable proportion of the electorate, which could go a long way towards influencing Ireland’s next Government. Despite the size of this population, political parties continue to disregard immigration and migrant related issues in their manifestos.”
“There has been a significant increase in awareness of refugee protection concerns and the scandal of Direct Provision among the general public too, and we hope that the next Government will take swift and effective action on these areas as a matter of priority.”
Voter participation among new communities and other marginalised groups can often be very low, said Ms Roche. In an attempt to boost participation, Doras Luimní have been implementing a project that aims to increase voter registration and participation through targeted outreach and voting information sessions.
“While many new citizens living in Limerick are well aware of the process, there are a growing number of new eligible electors that benefit from tailored information and assistance. Ireland has a complicated and unique election process, not helped by the usage of Irish language terminology in politics. For people with limited social networks and non-native English speakers, the process of registration and the election system itself can be challenging.”
Over 300 people have registered to vote with Doras Luimní’s assistance over the past few months and are looking forward to participating in the election this Friday, February 26.
